Aeroplane-wing construction



F. J. PLYIVIl AEROPLANE WING CONSTRUCTION. APPLICATION FILED 06T. 11, 1918.

1,337995 l Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

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F. J. PLYIVI.

AEROPLANE WING CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. Il, 1918.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

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s rana FRANCIS J'. PLYM, OF NILES, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0 KAWNEER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NILES, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN. v

AEROPL'ANE-WING CONSTRUCTION.

Speccationof Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

Application led October 11, 1918. Serial'No. 257,781.

Z 1o all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS J. PLYM, a citizen ofl the United States, residinoat Niles, in the county of Berrien and btate of Michigan have invented certain: new and useful Improvements in Aeroplanel/Ving Construction, of which the followmg is a'specification. A

This invention relates to aeroplanes and more particularl to the wing features thereof. The deslderatm in aeroplane construction, especially at the present time, 1s to eect conservation of wood b y substitutingmetal therefor asI far as possible without impairing the efciency of themachine, as the safety of operation demanded depends on speed and responsiveness to control as much as to strength and stabllity of construction.

The chief object ofthe invention is to produce a Wing construction as-light and as near fire-proof as possible consistent with strength and resiliency. A further object is to produce a wing 1n which the bulging of the fabric covering shall be substantially minimized, and in which repairs to the covering may be made wlth the mm1- mum cost for material and labor.

With these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel and useful features of construction and combinations of parts as hereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it may be fully understood reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1, is a fragmental plan view of an aeroplane of any approved type.

Fig. 2, is an end view of a wing of the aeroplane.

Fig. 3, is an enlar ed section taken on the line III-III of ig. 1.

Fig. 4, is a broken section taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. l.

Fig. 5, is a fragmentary perspective view of the wing, with certain parts broken away.

F10. 6, is an enlarged section on the dotted 1in@ vr of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7, is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the rear part of the wing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, 1 indicates the body or fuselage and 2 the propeller of an aeroplane of any approved type, and 3 designates the wlng of the ruachine, which, of course, may be a multlple wing machine, such as a biplane or a triplane.

The wing comprises two or more parallel metal beams 4 of skeleton construction. They extend from one end:`A of the plane or wing to the other, land due to the cross sectional form of the' latter,y the depth of the beams is different, as the wings are thicker near their front than near their rear ends. Each beam preferably consists of channel bars 5 arranged with their .channels facin each other and spaced apart and brace by a zig-zag metal bracing strip 6 to give the greatest strength consistent with lightness, the adjacent ends of converging p01"- `tions of the stri being connected by short portions 7, con orming to and fitting in the channels of bars 5, to provide ample fastening space. At suitable intervals cross ribs are arranged, these ribs in side View determining the cross sectional form of the Wing, and each preferably consists of a channeled metal bar 8 bent or doubled to form a roundedfront end or nose, a slightly concaved underside and a convex upper side, with said sides tapering rearwardly and terminating within a channeled trailing edge strip 9 arranged parallel with the beams 4, the arms or sides of the doubled strip 8 being rigidly secured to ether and properly spaced by a zig-zag bracing strip 10, of the same type as bracing strip 6. The ribs are arranged to intersect the beams, with theflatter extending through the ribsh and suitably interlocked therewith in any desired manner.

The bars 8 are incased at their outer sides by channeled covering strips 11, of resilient metal, and the flanges of said covering strips are rebent at their margins tol form channels 12.

To stiffen the framework and form a partial support for the covering hereinafter described, and act to guard against distortion or bulging of the covering, channeled nose plates 13 extend from rib to rib at the front ends thereof, and conform to the noscshaped contour of such ends, and said plates are provided with inturned flanges 14 at their ends to engage the channels or grooves 12. The cover, preferably of fabric, is made in sections 15 of slightly greater width than the spaces between adjacent ribs so that the side margins of said sections shall overlap the channels or grooves 12, and to secure said sections, which ol' course extend around (he nose plates lil :is shown, and underlie :ind overlie the beams and trailing edge strip 9, wire rods 'le are iitted over the seetions 'l5 and into the channels or grooves l2 to clamp the marginal portions oi" the sections within the grooves l2, the ends ofi each Wire rod vbeing twisted or otherwise secured together at l?, so that they shall be incapable oi? Working out of the grooves or channels and releasing the abrie eovering sections.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced a Wing eonstructon for aeroplanes which possesses all of the merits ot' a Wood construction and in addition thereto greater strength, more resistance to destruction by fire or shock, and the great advantage of quick, easy and inexpensive repair in the event of injury to only a part or parts of the cover, as it is obvious that any section of the latter may be removed and replaced without disturbing an other section.

It will be understood of course that I reserve the right to make such changes as may properly fall within the principle of construction involved and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

.1.111 an aeroplane, a wing comprising intersecting beams and ribs, a trailing edge strip connecting the rear ends el" said ribs, strips fitting around the ribs and provided at their side margins With channels, nose plates bridging the spaces between said strips and secured in rigid relation thereto, cover sex-tions between said strips and litted at their side margins in said channels, and wires en'aging said channels and cover sections and clamping the latter firmly Within said channels.

2. In an aeroplane, a Wing comprising intersecting beams and ribs, a trailing edge strip connecting the rear ends of said ribs, nose plates bridging the spaces between said ribs and provided with lflanges adjacent the ribs, strips fitting around the ribs and provided With side channels receiving the flanges of' the nose plates, cover sections between said strips and around said nose plates and fitting in the channels of the strips, and means securingI the side edges of the cover seetions within said channels.

3. In an aeroplane, a Wing comprisingr intersecting beams and ribs, a trailing edge strip connecting the rear ends of the ribs, strips itting around the ribs and provided with side channels, nose plates connectingthe i'rollit ends of said strips and provided With flanges engaging said channels, cover sections litting between said strips and around said nose plates and within said channels, and wires engaging said channels and clamping the side edges of the cover sections lirnily within said channels.

ln testimony whereof I aliix my signature.

FRANCIS J. PLYM. 

